1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to brackets and supports designed for use on pitched roofs or other inclined surfaces, and more particularly to a portable step system for use by roof installation and maintenance personnel.
2. Description of Related Art
Invention and use of roof platforms is known to the public, as they are frequently used to stage materials and personnel atop a roof. Chase, U.S. Pat. No. 718,602 and U.S. Pat. No. 681,649 discloses a roof-bracket which comprises three principal members. The bracket provides a base to rest upon the roof, a platform-support, and a brace, the three being slidably and pivotally connected in such manner that the platform-support can be made horizontal whatever the inclination or pitch of the roof. A means is provided to prevent movement of the platform-support and brace relative to each other and to the base when the parts have been adjusted. Neice, U.S. Pat. No. 799,487 discloses a bracket which provides simple construction and forms a convenient support for the use of carpenters and others in shingling or repairing roofs and that it may be adjusted for application to roofs of different pitch. The device may also be employed as a bracket or jack for the use of painters and other workmen. Hamilton, U.S. Pat. No. 1,520,414 discloses a knockdown ladder that can be quickly assembled and disassembled to produce a rigid construction. A clamping element is provided for the leg sections that retains the rungs in position. Murray U.S. Pat. No. 4,842,229 discloses a portable, adjustable roof platform for use by painters on inclined roof surfaces. The roof platform has two moving parts for quickly adjusting the platform to a horizontal position. The adjustable roof platform includes a horizontal base with vertical rod receiving female members. The base is made of a reinforced frame with an expanded metal platform. An upright wall is affixed to the metal platform to support paint buckets. At least one adjustable rod is slidable in the female member to adjust the horizontal base to the angle of pitch of the roof. A locking thumb screw is threaded into the female member to engage the rod, locking it in place. The rod has a roof engaging end with a point to slightly embed itself in the roof. The adjustable rod has a plurality of drilled holes for receiving the thumb screw, making a positive locking arrangement to avoid any slipping of the rod. Dierolf, U.S. Pat. No. 5,119,904 discloses a means and method which provide for walking on residential and commercial tile roofs with minimal breakage of the tile. A support provided which has a planar backboard of plywood or the like with a pair of spaced, soft resilient parallel cushions on the front surface which are laid down into the troughs of the tile roof to distribute weight, and to distribute the weight particularly into the troughs of the roof, which are supported underneath by the sub-roof. The supports are distributed in a pathway over the roof to get the workman to the point on the roof that he needs to access, without stepping directly on the tiles. Monaco U.S. Pat. No. 5,249,397 discloses a knockdown roof platform for use on an inclined roof comprising a table structure and an upper flat table top. The table structure has a hollowed area on its underside. Struts are formed integral inside the hollowed area on an underside of the upper flat table top. An upright leg structure is positioned at one end of the table structure having an upper flat table surface positioned in a common plane with the upper flat table top. A hinge connects the table structure and the upright leg structure in assembly together. Collapsible locking brackets further secure the table structure and the upright leg structure in assembly. The collapsible locking brackets are being adjustable to secure the table structure and the upright leg structure in right angular relation thereby positioning the upper flat table top coplanar with the upper flat table top on the table structure. The collapsible locking bracket is releasable enabling the table structure and the upright leg structure to be pivoted on the hinge thus moving and collapsing the table structure and the upright leg structure out of right angular relation relative to one another and into a storage position where the table structure and the upright leg structure extend almost in parallel relation.
The above prior art does not provide a roof-top stair-step system whereby each step engages with the next. The prior art also does not teach a base frame which slides underneath a given tile, engaging the tile below, resulting in the base frame resting on the sub-roof and preventing the frame from sliding off the roof. The present invention fulfills these needs and provides further related advantages as described in the following summary.